Pneumatic action for musical instruments



(N0 Modl.)

v F. STONE. PNEUMATIC ACTION FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. No. 353,894. I

Patented Dec. 7, 1886.

e ii 4 E I Inventor &

m a: w I] w 1 re fizz/m N, PETERS. Phom-Lilhngraphor. Washinmon, D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK sronn, or woncnsrnn, MASSACHUSETTS.

PNEUMATIC ACTION FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,894, dated December '7, 1886.

Application tiled June 1, 1886. Serial No. 203,694. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK STONE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Actions for Musical Instruments, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification sufficicntly full, clear, and exact to enable persons skilled in the art to which this invention appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this my present invention is to provide an improvement in pneumatic actions for musical instruments, whereby several independent sets of reeds, valves, or expressionpneumatics can be operated at the same instant or in conjunction with a primary reedor sounding device, and without increasing the touch or force required for moving said'primary valve.

To this end my invention consists in combining with a primary reed or sounding de- Vice a pneumatic the controlling air-passage of which leads to and opens into the mortise or space between said reed and valve, or is arranged in such relation to said primary reed and its valve that the movement of the valve for opening and closing the air passage through the reed also opens and closes the controlling-passage oi the pneumatic, as hereinafter more fully explained.

In the drawings, Figurelisaverticalsectional view ofso much ofa musical instrument as will illustrate the nature of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the same. Fig. 3 shows a modified form of the invention, illustrating the manner in which a series of pneumatics and sounding devices can be arranged and operated in unison.

In reference to parts, A denotes the sounding-board or top of the wind-chest. B,which is here shown as that of an ordinary reed-organ having a tube-board, O,with reed-cells 0, containing reeds D, inserted therein in the ordinary manner.

E indicates the valve for opening the passsage or mortise c, by way of which the air is drawn into the wind-chest through the reed D. Said valve may be depressed or opened pitman, P, or may be operated by any other actuating mechanism, as desired. F indicates an externallydisposed pneumatic or collapsible chamber, which is arranged for actuating the valve E, thatcontrols a reed or sounding device, 1, in a second my set, or for operating the inlet-valve h of a second pneumatic, 1-1,, that in turn actuates the valve E, that cohtrols the reed or sounding device ,d in the secondary set. Said pneumatic F is ,retained normally expanded by a suitable spring or equivalentdevice, or by the spring G, which closes the valve.

The controlling airpassage I, from the pneumaticleads to and opens into the space or mortise 6, between the primary reed D and its valve E, and the operation of the pneumatic is effected in the following manner: The air being exhausted in. the wind-chest, when the valve E is opened, a suction or draft is created in the passage or mortise c, which tends to draw the air downthrough the reed for operating itstongue, and also at the same time this suction is exerted upon the passage I, thereby causing the collapse of the pneumatic F by pressure of the external air and the consequent actuation of the valve, or mechanism connected therewith. Then, when the valve E is again closed, theairpressure at the mouth of the channel I and upon the pneumatic F is equalized, and the pneumatic is again expanded by the force exerite'd by the spring G, which closes the valve.

In lieu 6f making the mouth of the passage I to open directly into the mortise c, it mayin some instances be made as indicated at t in Fig. 3, or so that the valve E, or an extended end thereof, will close said passage. In this, as well as in the form shown in Fig. 1, theaction is governed from the interior or exhaust space by the valve E, the result being substantially the same in either case, and while I consider the construction shown in Fig. laspreferable, I desire to include the latter modification as equivalent within the scope of my invention.

In the present instance, in Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a pneumatic sub-bass as a secondary set of reeds connected,in accordance with a my invention, with a set of reeds as arranged in the usual manner by means of a key and l in an ordinary reed-organ; but it will be understood that the invention can be applied for the connection of any kinds or sizes of reeds or sounding devices, and also that series of reeds or sounding devices can be connected in successive order and operated with the same ease and lightness of touch as can a single set, regardless of the number of sets employed.

The sub-bass (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) consists of a tube-board, K, having a longitudinal chamber, L, which communicates with the wind-chest B and with a series of vertical reedcells, Z, the upper ends of which are closed by valves E, which valves are disposed upon the exterior and arranged to open outward, or in a direction opposite to the exhaust-pressure exerted by the bellows action.

The seat of the valve is preferably beveled off orinclined, the valve being hinged at its lower end, b, and the spring G arranged to press upon the heel of the valve, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The externally-disposed pneumatics F are located preferably upon the front of the board K, or an auxiliary piece connected therewith,

in series and number corresponding tothe valves E, and tracker-pins M, working through suitable guides, connect the top of the respective pneumatics with their valves in a manner to effect the opening of the valve by collapse of the pneumatics,accordingly as the valvesE of the primary set of reeds are opened in response to the manual or primary controlling force.

The passages I lead downward from the pneumatics to the action-board A, through which holes are bored corresponding in position therewith, from which position the tubes or passages I converge to the respective mortises e.

The horizontal or converging portion of the passages can be conveniently and practically made by forming them in an auxiliary board, which board is adapted to be attached to the under side of the sounding-board by screws or otherwise, suitable packing-strips, m, being provided to prevent leakage between the boards J and A, about the holes formed through the board A and the passage I; or, if preferred, said passages I may be arranged'in any convenient manner to communicate fro the valves E to the pneumatic F.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated the manner in which my invention may be applied in succession to any desired number of sets of reeds or sounding devices. In this the first pneumatic, F, which has its controlling-passage I leading to the mortise e, or stopped by the valve E, as indicated at z, is connected for operating a valve, h, which controls the action of an expansible pneumatic, H, that actuates, by means of pitman n, the valve E of the secondary set of sound-producing devices at. Another pneumatic, F, having a controlling-passage, 1, leading into the mortise c of said second set, is arranged for operating a third sounding set, D which, for illustrating variety, is herein shown as a lever or striker, D, arranged to sound a hell, but which, if desired, might be a set of. reeds or other sounding devices disposed in substantially similar manner to that described for the second set of sounding devices.

The pneumatic Fis herein shown connected for operating valves or reeds for sounding devices, but it will be understood that I propose to employ similar pneumatics, viz: outside pnematics controlled from the interior or exhaust chamber in connection with expression valves or devices.

I also intend to apply my invention herein claimed to reed-organs, mechanical musical instruments, or other wind musical instruments of a similar nature. The pneumatic F, being an outside pneumatic, is-madetight or without any vent, save the controlling air-passage I, and the slight leakage of air required for permitting the expansion of the pneumatic enters from the cell 0' past the tongue of the reed B.

R indicates an adj ustablestop device adapted to swing down into position, for retaining, the entire series of pneumatics which control the sub-bass or any set of reeds or sounding devices at their normal position of inaction, thereby stopping out such set of reeds or sounding devices at any time desirable in the expression of the I music. Said stop device preferably consists of a rocker or bar extending longitudinally across the set, having cranked ends pivoted upon the frame or tubeboard, and connected with a suitable stop-operaiing mechanism whereby it can be turned or swung down into position for arresting the action of the pneumatics, (see dotted lines,) or be turned back to a position where it will allow thev pneumatics to act in response to the opening of the primary valve E.

What I claim as of myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a musical instrument, of an outside pneumatic, a reed, and a valve, said valve controlling the passage through said reed, and a passage leading therefrom into the pneumatics, as set forth, whereby operation of the valve for admitting'air through the reed opens the controlling air-passage of the pneumatic, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, in an organ-action or musical instrument, with a reed and its valve operated by the manual key or other means, of an externally-disposed pneumatic having a controlling air-passage leading to and opening into the mortise'or space between said reed and its valve, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the reed-board A, having openings, as described, of the sub-bass section provided with controllingpneumatics F, and the auxiliary board J, having the passages I eXtending through it, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the wind-chest, a primary reed-set having reed-duct valves, as

E, and the valves 'for controlling auxiliary sounding or expression devices, of outside pneumatics collapsible by external pressure of air for actuating said latter valves, controlled from the interior of the wind-chest or exhaust-chamber by the action of the reedduct valves which control the sounding of said primary reed, substantially as herein set forth.

5. The combination, with a primary reed and the valve by which the flow of air through said reed is governed, of an air-passage leading into the mortise between said reed and valve, a pneumatic connected with said passage, and a second valve operated thereby, which controls the inlet of air to a second pneumatic that in turn actuates the valve of the secondvice adapted to be brought into position to.

act directly upon the pneumatics for arresting their operation, and to be turned backto allow the pneumatics to act, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 17th day of May, A. D.

FRANK STONE.

Witnesses:

CHAS. H. BURLEIGH, E. P. BLENUs. 

